Merging Competencies, Content, and Evaluation

Mary L. Pfohl, M.S.W., Ph.D., L.I.S.W.Associate Professor, St. Cloud State UniversityVisiting Professor, Center for Advanced Studies in Child Welfare

Today’s agenda• Context of child

welfare education at SCSU & MN

• Competency Development

• Competency knowledge assessment

• Pilot results and next steps

• Discussion

Context - Child Welfare at SCSU

BSW Program• Generalist Practice• EPAS 10 core

competencies & 41 practice behaviors

• 45 credit major• 4 semesters• 40 Graduates per

semester• Commuter university

Context - Child Welfare at SCSU

Child Welfare Program• 2 to 3 students per

cohort (10 to 12 total)• Required child welfare

course (3 credit)• Child welfare learning

in social work courses• Supplemental

curriculum for each cohort group

Competency Development

• CASCW/U of M – EPAS Advanced Competencies• Graduate level • Source information: current syllabi, CALSWEC

competencies, MCWTS, community and key stakeholder and student focus groups.

• Knowledge and Skill Competencies• MSW and BSW/Advanced & Foundation

Competencies• Source information: CALSWEC competencies, EPAS

framework, contract for Title IV-E, and course/cohort syllabi

• Finalized proposal with MN-DHS and Universities

Competency* Categories• Diversity and Cultural Competence• Engagement• Partnering and Collaboration• Assessment• Case Planning in Child Welfare• Implementing Child Welfare Services• Communications and Documentation• Evaluation• Advocacy• Policy• Supervision and Management• Professionalism in Child Welfare*links to practice behaviors

Competencies & Educational Level

Foundation• BSW graduates = MSW

first year• Generalist social work

practice focus

Advanced• Clinical• Supervision and

management

Assessment & Evaluation

• KNOWLEDGE assessment vs. SKILL assessment• MSW Consortium Work Group

• Designed as pre/post assessment• Question development for each competency and

practice behavior• Implementation

BSW Child Welfare Knowledge Assessment

Assessment development

• Statewide competencies• Build on groundwork of

Graduate level assessment development

• Assure congruence with BSW level

• Pilot assessment with 9 students (cohort group breakdown: C2 – 4; C3 – 4; C4 – 1)

Guidebook development

• Complete “cross walk” in competencies and placement within education.

• Identify child welfare knowledge gaps in social work coursework & MCWTS.

• Develop child welfare cohort curriculum to enhance existing coursework and fill gaps.

Results from PilotRegarding topic areas for

questions• Students’ greatest comfort to

respond• Cultural competence• Engagement• Related to recognition of topics

• Students’ greatest challenges to respond• ASFA questions• Generally policy – strength of

knowledge recognized• HBSE questions – especially human

development questions, students with psychology minor state these areas doable and attributed it to the crossover student between psych and social work

Regarding question “type”

Ability to move between question types

• Frustrating experience to jump between the different question types,

• Knowing topic area • Case scenario challenging

Clarity of wording• Questions were challenging. “Thought

I knew the answers”• Scenario questions easiest• ICWA was workable as it was fresh in

the mind.• Multiple choice questions were

preferable.

Results from Pilot

Administration of assessmentTime allotment• 90 minutes• “poor test-takers” needed 2 hours

Location • Despite flexibility NOT at home• Need quiet/uninterrupted time

Method• Challenges with D2L – question

formatting• Prefer paper/pencil• Prefer immediate feedback

Influence on studiesMotivation as child welfare scholar• Excited & open re upcoming content.• Prefer assessment in C1 get more of a

sense of what [learning] was going to be presented

• “long way to go”

Study in social work courses• Refreshed memory of social work

topics and information.• After assessment went back for

review.• Assessment preparation to take

[social work] licensing exam.• Good to know knowledge could be

applied somewhere.

Results from Pilot (cont.)

Other comments & observations• Complexity of child welfare

social work in completing the assessment

• Timing of assessment would be important – very beginning and end of education

• Use of acronyms – is it necessary?

• Overall felt the questions asked were good.

• Felt like a “test” – want to do well

Measurement of child welfare social work knowledge

• Student consensus it measured their level of knowledge

• Mean score 6.6 (scale of 10)• Two students identified as poor

test takers conveyed greater anxiety

Recommendations & Next Steps

• “Clean up” lay out• Convey assessment of program not student • Proceed with implementation for all BSW schools• Address administration: central site, question format,

individual school access• Data analysis at individual school and consortium level

Discussionquestions, comments, observations, sharing

Sample Assessment Questions[2.1.4/1e] Recent immigrants in the United States have the same opportunities to access all social services programs as those who were born in this country. True or False?

[2.1.10(a)/2a] When assessing a family’s risk and learning family history, the best resource for this information is:A. Previous case record notesB. Members of the family involvedC. Collateral agency service providers who have

worked with the family in the pastD. Friends, extended family and social supports

identified by the family.

Sample Assessment Questions

2.1.7/2g] After being placed in out of home care, Bonnie began to frequently act out violent scenes with her dolls and pretended to be a mother who did not want her children. This response is likely a result of Bonnie’s developmental level and response to life events. Aside from these identified emotional behavioral symptoms, what are other area(s) of Bonnie’s life may be impacted by involvement with the child welfare system? A. Forming secure attachmentB. Academic successC. Quality of relationships with siblings or caregiversD. Engagement in music and sports activitiesE. A and CF. All of the above